Shirt



(No Model.)

W. M. SPENGE.

SHIRT.

Patented May 12,1885.

WITNESSES I Miran STATES; 'arnivr twice.

SHIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,872, dated May 12, 1885.

Application filed October 4, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. SPnNcE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carson, in the county of Ormsby and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shirts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the'same.

My invention is an improved shirt; and it consists in the construction and manufacture hereinafter explained, whereby the disadvantages and objections incident to the ordinary form of shirts are obviated, and a con1paratively neat, cheap, and durable article produced.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front View of my improved shirt illustrating the same as it appears when adjusted for wear. Fig. 2 is a like view illustrating the manner of securing the bosom-section when it is desired to expose a portion of the wearers body.

Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating a modification.

As ordinarily constructed, wearing-shirts are of two general classes, those that open in frontthat; is to say, the bosomsections being divided into two independent portions secured together by studs or buttons-and-shirts having a vertical opening in the rear which is closed bybuttons and button-holes located near the top of the same. The first style of shirt is objectionable in that by handling the bosomsections to button or secure the same they become creased and soiled, whereas the second style of shirt mentioned presents an opening that more or less exposes the back or undershirt of the wearer. In my improved construction the said opening is located at one side of the bosom proper, and is secured by a series of buttons along its length and at the fastening adjacent to the neck portion.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the bosom of the shirt, which is secured'at one side to the shirt-body B, the same as in the manner of open-back shirts, but at its other side has attached a vertical section, a, formed by obliquely cutting or severing the body of the shirt. The vertical edge of the section a is shirt is suitably bound or re-enforced, and has attached thereto a series of buttons, (1, designed to engage the button-holes b ofthe section a.

To provide for the proper fitting and adjustment of the parts at and near the neckband e of the shirt, the vertical slip terminates at the horizontal seam f, and is intersected at the point of its termination by a slit, which also severs the neckband. This latter arrangement provides the sections a and part of the bosom A with an upper horizontal edge, h.

Buttons t, secured to the shirt proper, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, are adapted to engage button holes j therefor, formed, respectively,at the upper corner of the sections a of the shirt and in the neckband of the same.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by the construction herein described a shirt is made that can be put on without necessitating any handling of the bosom thereof, and in which the back portion forms a complete cov ering for the back of the wearer. Adiagonal re-enforced welt or seam, it, has secured thereto a series of buttons, Z, which are designed to engage the button-holes b when the bosom A and sections a are folded over, as illustrated in Fig. 2. By forming the opening at the side of the bosom oblique, as before referred to, the opening is covered by one of the suspendersections of the wearer when the suspenders are in position upon the body of the wearer.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, the

vertical slit is formed parallel with the center of the bosom, in lieu of being disposed obliquely, which form is preferable under some circumstances.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent a 1. The improved shirtherein described,provided with a vertical opening located at one side of the bosom and a second opening or slit intersecting said first opening near the top of the shirt and severing the neckband,and buttons and button-holes,located substantially as described.

2. The improved shirt herein described,proadjacent to said slit or openings, substantially vided at one side of the bosom with avertical as set forth. 1o seam or welt having secured thereto buttons, In testimony whereof I affix my signature in and at the other side of said bosom with a presence of two witnesses.

vertical slit or opening intersected at its top WILLIAM MORTIMER SPENOE. by a second slit or opening arranged at right WVitnesses: angles therewith and severing the neckband, BERTHA A. SPENOE,

and suitable buttons and button-holes located J AMES D. TORREYSON. 

